Patience...

Patience is a requirement for photographers. I am always searching for the perfect spot to capture that perfect shot. Once the spot is found, you must then wait for the shot to come to you. Rarely does the shot just happen, it comes to the patient and prepared...

When I go out to shoot sporting events, I try to get to isolated spots. It never fails when a parent approaches me and starts talking, this always seems to be the time all the action happens and I miss it. The shots that got away...

Nature has no schedule, so I find myself waiting again for the perfect shot. While alert, paying attention to all of the sounds around you, scanning the skies, fields, waters or what ever may be in front of you for the slightest movement, then following the hawk and waiting until the perfect moment for the perfect shot. This is when I usuall wish I would have spent the extra cash on the faster memory card as my buffer fills and I start to miss shots.

A coworker recently talked me into shooting her white water rafting. We started out fine, but then I quickly found myself driving down the road looking for the next great location then I would have to hurridly hike to the rivers edge. This usually included climbing down the wet, mossy and slippery rocks with my camera over my shoulder praying I don't slip. Find a spot where I could capture the rapids and hope this was the side they went down. I was usually rewarded with some great shots, but at times as I waited, thoughts rushed through my mind "I hope I didn't already miss them".

Durring one short hike, I got to the spot just as they were floating on by me unprepared for them. I was rewarded though, as I was able to capture her falling out of the raft and floating down the river fighting for her life, and all I could think about was "Darn, I'm in RAW and my buffer kept filling up". Should have got the faster card, or not been in raw. Regardless, I did find one to print out and hang in my office and much to my dismay this act seemed to have stirred up the hornets nest when she saw the 24x36 in my office. Atleast I didn't add the caption, "There's one in every crowd"

Of course once you're done waiting for the perfect shot, you now have to wait for the memory cards to upload to your PC. You then go through all of your great shots, scour through them to prepare them for the stock photo market. Another time taking tasks but you finally finish it and submitt the award winning one to Dreamstime. Again our patience must kick in as you wait for your images to be approved. Patience...

With all your patience, you will be justly rewarded on approval. This is the hardest one to have the patience for, as you believe you have no control over how long it takes to happen. But it does, then your image is on line and now you wait again. You don't have any control over this part, but don't make it wose by attacking. Sit and wait.

I have lot's of stories, as most of us do. Do your research, this should include learning your area. I should have listened to the article I read on Rebecca Osborn's site and taken an extra pair of boots, if I would have taken my waders I could have gotten close and out in the river a bit. But I have learned, and hope to apply this next week.

Totally agree. You do need to have a lot of patience as a photographer. Back in March my local zoo had 3 tiger cubs born but mom did not start bringing them out until they had gotten to be 6 weeks old. I knew she was bringing them out already but it was on her terms so normal zoo goers it would of been a hit or miss experience but for me I waited for 4 1/2 hours and the wait paid off cause I was one of the only ones that got to see one of the cubs that day. People walked up to me while I was waiting and said now that is a true photographer to have patience to sit there all day waiting.

Thanks for posting the article cause we do need to be reminded from time to time to just have patience in all aspects of our photography careers :)

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